Thill for 90% of my fishing. They are the ones that slide on and stay put with the peg (toothpick). I have learned that changing the depth and weight is very important when nymph fishing. With the Thill I can pull the pick, slide the indicator 6 or 12" up or down, and be fishing in an instant. Amazing how many times a 6-12" change brings an almost instant strike.

After all the info I think I might try out the toothpick ones. I have one question about the water balloon idea...have you ever had one break on you? I think it's a great ide, but I would be hesitant to having one break and have pieces of balloon floating in the stream because of it.

jayL wrote:The putty is nice, but in warm weather, it becomes almost unusable in my opinion. I always used the loon biostrike. Anyone have any ideas of anything better that might not have this problem?

Biostrike is the best puddy. I once ran out and my buddy gave me the orvis stuff. It sucked...It was real heavy and hard to cast.

Don't know if loon is good in the summer? I fish a tandem with a terrestrial as my first fly all late spring-summer.

Posted on: 2008/10/24 12:08

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Those who have no vices usually have some really annoying virtues!

Balloon indicators work great when long distance nymphing is necessary. I prefer no indicator at all, but when I do feel the need, the balloons work great. Just keep them as small as possible. Since the really small ones (like marble size) have such little air in them, they are pretty tough. I have had a pretty large trout eat one and pop the balloon, but it stayed in one piece. For some reason, trout really like to hit the orange ones. Hmmmm. Inflateable flies......

I thought you guys were joking about the balloons...I have never seen those before. When I used to fish for muskies with spinning and baitcasting gear and live chubs we sometimes would use large balloons.

bigjohn58 wrote:I thought you guys were joking about the balloons...I have never seen those before. When I used to fish for muskies with spinning and baitcasting gear and live chubs we sometimes would use large balloons.

I was just at Cabelas. Found those Thing a ma bobbers. Got a pack. First, they are comparatively inexpensive. (5 or 6 for 2.49 ) Second, If you like balloons they look like little balloons. You just loop them on like those yarn ones with the ring so you can adjust teh height and put them on before or after tying on the fly. They weigh very little (good in my opinion for casting) Can't wait to try them.

I am hesitant to throw this out there but I feel that this guy Dave Mckee deserves some publicity because he has a great product. Simple to use, very effective, and lightweighthttp://www.davemckeeflyfishing.com/indicators.htmThey are a dollar each, he ships them to ya with an invoice.

Posted on: 2008/11/3 12:01

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Perhaps fishing is, for me, only an excuse to be near rivers.

The very best indicator I found was shown to me by our steel head guide. It is nothing other than a small balloon blown up and tied into your tippet. They work incredibly well as they float over the faster set of riffles still allowing you to have a great view of it. It handles just as well in slower flows.

I'll use that for steel head and even some of the larger trout streams across PA. The only change I make is when I hit the native streams where I switch over to using a big white winged dry as an indicator.

Everyone has their favorites, I tried and have a number of them, but the balloon has been a treat to fish with.

The most effective, easy-to-use strike indicator I’ve ever seen was an aluminum flip top from a beer can. I saw this demonstrated about 25 years ago at Put-n-Take Lake while fishing with my then 7 year old son. In addition to the flip top, you will also need an RV comfortable enough for a 3 month stay at the aforementioned fishing hole/campground, beer, your favorite nylon-webbed, aluminum-framed beach chair, a Mitchell 300 spinning outfit or equivalent, rod holder (preferably hardwood, sans bark and leaves) a hypodermic needle and a couple of good sized chunks of lead.. The procedure is as follows:

1. Strategically place your nylon-webbed, aluminum-framed chair a short distance from the refrigerator in the RV and within casting distance of the “lake”.2. Open a beer; save the flip top.3. Guesstimate the height of the weed bed at the bottom of the lake. From the hook on your line, add a fair amount of lead at a point equal to the anticipated height of the weed bed plus about 6 inches.4. Fill a good sized nightcrawler with air from the hypodermic needle and apply to the hook.5. Without spilling your beer, cast to the spot most recently stocked with fish.6. Leave the bail on your spinning reel open and place it in the rod holder.7. Bend the flip top from your beer can and hang it from the V-shaped slack created between the open bail of your reel and the first eye of your rod.8. While reclining in your chair and as the nightcrawler floats 6 inches above the weed bed, watch for shrapnel in the shape of a beer can flip top as it slingshots from your now taut line. This indicates a strike. Protective eyewear is recommended.9. At this point you can choose to either close the bail on your reel and play the fish or, do as the guy I observed did; let the fish swallow the nightcrawler down to its ass while getting another beer.

I have no idea how this applies to fly fishing, but I can’t think of everything.

maybe it's just me..but I wanted to try the thingamabobbers, got a pack at your friendly neighborhood Cabelas outlet, I ripped the eye-loop off of 2 of them this weekend. Am I doing something wrong or are they just not that durable, I did like that they rode high in the riffles, easy on my old eyes.

I use the ones from orvis that are foam with a slit in the side and a rubber band running through the center. You just put your leader in the slit and twist the rubberband ends in opposite directions. It stays put, I can take it off and reuse it, it floats good, and I can put it on after I tie my fly on. Alot of times I'll be so excited when I'm rigging up that I'll rig everything up, but forget an indicator and when I was using the froghair ones, this would mean cutting off and starting over.

Previously I've recommended the twist on floats as some of the best I've used, also a close second are the floats that Cabelas offers. Well I tried a Thingamabobber over the weekend that I was given to try and I've got to say I'm hooked. They cast great, turn over easily and make mending your line much easier too. Like Tom mentioned, they go on very easily.

I'm converted, Thingamabobber is now my go to float, I've just got to get past the name! HA!